Moisturizing newborns may help to prevent allergies later in life: study

Applying moisturizer to a newborn babys skin could help prevent eczema and even food allergies later in life, possibly offering an inexpensive and easy way to combat a growing global problem, according to a recent study by a Japanese institute.

The small-scale study carried out by researchers at the Tokyo-based National Center for Child Health and Development suggests that regular lotion in the first few weeks of life helps keep a babys immune system intact.

The scientists divided 118 newborns into two groups of 59 each, applying an emollient a glycerine-based over-the-counter moisturizer to one group of babies for 32 weeks and no treatment to the other group.

As a result, 19 in the intervention group developed atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, against 28 in the control group.

The study, which the researchers said was the first of its kind anywhere in the world, could show that moisturizing reduces the risk of developing eczema by 30 percent.

The institute said in a press release that emollient prevents skin from drying out and cracking, which exposes immune cells and allows irritants to get in.

This, in turn, boosts the bodys production of antibodies to combat the irritant, resulting in over-production.

It is this over-production of antibodies that produces the symptoms of an allergy.

The institute said babies suffering from eczema tend to display strong reactions to egg white, and thus can go on to be allergic to eggs in later life or develop other problems, such as asthma or sinus infections.

It was known before that dry skin would cause eczema. One of the achievements of this study is that we came up with clear figures for the probability of developing eczema, the centers spokesman, Toru Sato, said Friday.

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Moisturizing newborns may help to prevent allergies later in life: study